In the early 1990s I, like so many grunge refugees, rediscovered our country roots through what was then called alt.country. This was an odd, misfit genre full of what some now call “Americana” or “roots music”…but also included grunge, cowpunk, (or even metal) influenced bands that had a certain earthiness or twang. Many eschewed the […]

Since the holidays I’ve been been getting used to some major life changes…and, like it always has during important segments of my life, music is playing an important role…You might recall that I had been channeling my angst about living alone through Wilco’s Sky Blue Sky album back in October 2007. Now I cast about […]

I’ve become a big fan of Netflix (more about my particular netflix uses later) But…I’m trying to figure out how liking Henry & June (the NC-17 film based on the unexpurgated diary of Anaïs Nin), Hedwig and the Angry Inch (the musical about the East German rock idol and victim of a botched sex change […]

I love my job…I have a busy, challenging mix of teaching and research. I have 11 counties of cool archaeological sites wide open for my investigation. I have had (so far) good support from the main office of my organization when it comes to getting equipment, project support, and such…The only fly in the ointment […]